Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA.
USDA-ARS, Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory, Kerrville, TX 78028, USA.
J Med Entomol. 2022 Sep 14;59(5):1500-1506. doi: 10.1093/jme/tjac118.
Mosquitoes and other blood feeding arthropods are vectors of pathogens causing serious human diseases, such as Plasmodium spp. (malaria), Wuchereria bancrofti (lymphatic filariasis), Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease), and viruses causing dengue, Zika, West Nile, chikungunya, and yellow fever. Among the most effective strategies for the prevention of vector-borne diseases are those aimed at reducing human-vector interactions, such as insecticide applications and insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs). In some areas where ITNs are widely used, behavioral adaptations have resulted in mosquitoes shifting their time of blood feeding to earlier or later in the night when the bed nets are not being employed. Little is known about the genetic basis of these behavioral shifts. We conducted quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis using two strains of Culex pipiens sensu lato with contrasting blood feeding behaviors, wherein the lab adapted Shasta strain blood feeds at any time of the day or night, while the newly established Trinidad strain feeds only at night. We identified a single locus on chromosome 2 associated with the observed variation in feeding times. None of the core clock genes period, timeless, clock, cycle, PAR-domain protein 1, vrille, discs overgrown, cryptochrome 1, or cryptochrome 2 were located within the QTL region. We then monitored locomotor behavior to determine if they differed in their flight activity. The highly nocturnal Trinidad strain showed little daytime activity while the day-feeding Shasta strain was active during the day, suggesting blood feeding behavior and flight activity are physiologically linked.
蚊子和其他吸血节肢动物是引起严重人类疾病的病原体的传播媒介，如疟原虫（疟疾）、班氏丝虫（淋巴丝虫病）、伯氏疏螺旋体（莱姆病）以及引起登革热、寨卡、西尼罗河、基孔肯雅热和黄热病的病毒。预防媒介传播疾病最有效的策略之一是减少人与媒介的相互作用，如使用杀虫剂和驱虫蚊帐（ITNs）。在一些广泛使用 ITN 的地区，蚊子已经适应了行为，它们将吸血时间转移到晚上 ITN 不使用的时候更早或更晚。关于这些行为转变的遗传基础知之甚少。我们使用具有相反吸血行为的两种库蚊亚种（Culex pipiens sensu lato）进行了数量性状基因座（QTL）分析，其中实验室适应的 Shasta 品系可以在白天或晚上的任何时间吸血，而新建立的 Trinidad 品系仅在晚上吸血。我们在 2 号染色体上确定了一个与观察到的吸血时间变化相关的单一基因座。核心生物钟基因 period、timeless、clock、cycle、PAR-domain protein 1、vrille、discs overgrown、cryptochrome 1 或 cryptochrome 2 都不在 QTL 区域内。然后，我们监测了运动行为，以确定它们的飞行活动是否存在差异。高度夜行的 Trinidad 品系在白天几乎没有活动，而白天进食的 Shasta 品系在白天很活跃，这表明吸血行为和飞行活动在生理上是相关的。
